The invention relates to a method of polishing a surface of a noble metal or an alloy comprising mainly noble metal, in which a polishing means and said surface are moved with respect to each other while exerting a polishing pressure for obtaining a polished surface.
It is generally known to polish platinum, gold or silver surfaces mechanically by means of polishing grains. Although a satisfactory planeness can generally be achieved in this way, the polished surface has many grooves and scratches when viewed microscopically. Moreover, mechanical polishing causes material disturbances under the polished surface. A mechanically polished surface is unsuitable for many uses such as, for example direct bonding. Moreover, in the manufacture of layered high-tech products, such as thin-film magnetic heads, very plane and smooth polished surfaces without defects are required.